Welcome, little fact-enthusiasts, to take a look at the life and achievements of the famous business magnate and industrialist of America, Henry Fordđ˛!
From being the founder of Ford Motor Companyđ to being one of the chief developers of the assembly line technique of mass production, this famous person has several amazing facts to offer!
This article will provide some wonderful facts about Henry Ford that will amaze you!
Fascinating Henry Ford Facts
Henry Ford: Explore the birth secrets of this famous American
Henry Ford was born on July 30, 1863, on a farm in Springwells Township, Michigan.
William Ford, Henryâs father, was born in County Cork, Ireland, to a family that had immigrated from Englandâs Somerset in the 16th century.
Henryâs mother, Mary Ford, was born in Michigan as the youngest child of Belgian immigrants.
Henry had four siblings, Margaret Ford, Jane Ford, William Ford, and Robert Fordđ§.
Henry Ford was an inventor by heart
We may only know Ford as the founder of Ford Motors, but he is a lot more than that.
One of the most wonderful yet little-known secrets about Henry is that he had 161 unique patentsđ˛ after his name! Really interesting, isnât it?
Throughout his life, Ford was very interested in science and inventions in general.
Even after establishing his automobile company, Ford never stopped being a scientist and an inventor.
Henry even worked at an electrical plant: It was before following his dreams
Though Ford came from a lineage of farmersđ¨âđž, he never thought about working on the farm.
He found his love and passion in steam engines and other machines.
As his upbringing left him with no money to follow his dreams, he joined the Thomas Edison Illuminating Company.
There he worked for 6 years, and later he was encouraged by Edison himself to make his dreams a reality in making affordable, reliable, and gasoline-powered automobiles.
Ford didnât invent the first automobiles
Have you heard this really cool fact about Henry Ford?
Contrary to common belief, Ford was not the inventor of the concept of automobiles. Rather, it was actually done by Karl Benz in the year 1855.
Ford only started making cars about 11 years after the first automobiles were made.
However, he is famous as the first person to mass-produce affordable cars đin the United States!
This made the way for middle-class citizens of America to afford cars during that time.
The first automobile of his company, âMobile T,â revolutionized the transportation industry of the U.S.
Ford in 1903: His vision of making affordable cars became a reality
Henry Ford officially established Ford Motors in the year 1903!!
In its early days, the company released model cars for almost $600-$950!
After multiple attempts and also thorough study, the company lowered the price of their cars to just $290!! Amazing, right?
By the year 1927, middle-class citizens of the United States started to have the ability to buy affordable cars offered by Ford Motors.
This era marked the start of the long journey of Ford Motors to manufacture affordable automobiles.
Later, Ford became a billionaire
Did you know this amazing secret about Ford?
During his time, Ford automobiles sold about $15 million in revenue.
Ford became the second richest man in the United States after John D. Rockefeller, the oil magnate!
In 1920, after his companyâs big success, Fordâs net worth reached around $200 billionđ°!!
Although the market share of Ford diminished quite a lot after his death, the success of his company made him one of Americaâs wealthiest men in history.
Henry Ford aimed to help people with disabilities
Aside from his strong passion for innovation and science, Ford had a soft spot for people with disabilitiesđ¨âđŚ˝.
Because of this, he readily hired persons with disabilities for his manufacturing plants.
In Fordâs lifetime, people with disabilities accounted for around 20% of the workforce at Ford Motor Company.
The Amazon: It was one of Fordâs ventures
Have you heard about this wonderful fact about Henry Ford? No? Let me explain.
Henry Ford was always ready for the next big thing.
Thus, he even made plans to construct a big city in the Amazon!
Unfortunately, his efforts came to waste because they never pushed through.
Though it may sound quite strange, the business concept of Ford involved a city that constantly supplied rubber.
Set to be called Fordlandia, the town of Aveiro, Brazil, remains as empty as it was before.
The Peace Project of Ford: The media called it a âShip of Foolsâ
Other than innovation, Henry Ford was always a supporter and promoter of peace. Because of this, in the year 1915, he even set sail on a peace mission.
Ford financially and morally supported the expedition to Europe.
However, the media of America was not very impressed with this and called it the âShip of Fools.â
Henry Fordâs Model T automobile: It is one of the most sold cars in the world
I am completely amazed to explore this wonderful secret about Henry Ford!
The Fordâs Model T was produced from 1908 to 1927.
It became famous as the most influential car of the 20th century.
With a great sale of more than $16.5 millionđ°, it remains one of the most sold cars of all time in the world to this day.
Henry Ford: He never underpaid his workers
Did you know this amazing and praiseworthy fact about Henry Ford?
Even before the company got incorporated as a legal business, Henry Ford was always pro-employee. He believed that if employees are satisfied then they will work better in the company.
In comparison to other companies in the industry, Fordâs employees got about double the normal wage at that time đ.
Due to this, a lot of skilled and talented workers came to work for him.
Eventually, this gave Fordâs company leverage for the production and quality of his automobiles. Quite impressive, isnât it?
The first moving assembly line: It was established by Henry Ford
The company of Henry Ford continuously looked for methods to improve efficiency and even bring the costs of industrial production down.
In the year 1913, the very first moving assembly line came into sight.
Although the concept was formulated by Ransom E. Olds, it was Henry Ford who turned the stationary assembly lines into moving ones.
Through this effective method, the assembly line became mechanically driven.
In turn, this enables workers to focus on other tasks; thus, increasing productivity rates.
President Wilson: He got Henry Ford to run for a seat in the senate
As Henry Ford became quite a big name in business, Former President Woodrow Wilson started convincing him to run for senate.
However, Ford didnât want to spend even a dime for election campaigns.
Without spending any money on the campaign, Ford lost the candidacy by just 4500 votes.
For someone who did not invest any money for running campaigns, this was already a remarkable achievement đ.
Fordâs moving assembly: It reduced production time by 70%
Prior to the moving lines, it took around 728 minutes to finish a chassis.
However, Fordâs invention allowed them to cut it down to 93 minutes.
In addition, the Model T only took 24 seconds to make.
That said, Ford Motor Company didnât just bring revolution to the car industry, but it also ushered in infrastructural and technological development.
This is, no doubt, one of the most wonderful facts that we must know about Henry Ford.
Henry Ford: He even had an airplane company
Owner of an airplane company?? Did you know this fact about Henry Ford? Let me explain.
During World War I, Henry Ford established the Ford Airplane Companyâď¸!
While the business understandably didnât take off, it still created a strong foundation for the eventual Ford Tri-Motor airplane.
Produced between the years 1928 and 1932, the Tri-Motor even has been featured in the famous film đŹ Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
The Charcoal Briquette: It was one of the inventions of Henry Ford
Charcoal briquettes actually refer to compressed coal dust block that is used for kindling.
However, who would have thought that Ford made this outdoor essential?
Henry Fordâs automobile plants had many oak scraps that could no longer be used in the cars.
To make use of this excess wood, E.G.Kingsford, Fordâs brother-in-law suggested that they start a charcoal manufacturing plant.
Following his suggestion, Ford named the plant Kingsford Charcoal in his honor.
Kingsford Charcoal remains among the top producer of charcoal briquettes in the industry, to this day.
Although Ford was a car maker, still he never was a fan of car racing
Have you heard this interesting secret about Henry Ford?
Even though Ford spent a lot of time making cars, he never liked the thrill of car racing.
However, he saw the need to take part in racing events to promote his merchandise and products.
Because of its efforts, he constructed the 1996 Motorsports Hall of Fame even though he was not fond of the sport.
The car with a plastic body: It was also an invention of Ford
Even in his old age, Henry Ford didnât stop being an inventor.
In August 1941, a prototype of an automobile with a plastic body was made by him!
Whatâs more impressive about it is its biodegradable body with panels made from soybeans! Amazing, isnât it?
Initially, Ford thought to switch to this design to lessen the weight and cost of their new automobiles.
However, the peak of World War II đŁ delayed and later ended the project.
The Henry Ford Museum: It features all inventions of Ford
Love to explore amazing museums? Then you will surely love this impressive fact about Henry Ford.
On October 21st, 1929, Henry Ford opened the Henry Ford MuseumđŤ.
Today, we can still see a large collection of his inventions and their role in Americaâs progress for 200 years at Michiganâs Dearborn.
For those who are of 2 years or under, general admission to the museum comes free. While who is 3-11 years old, the fee for them is $16.50.
For adults, like the youth and teenagers, entrance costs $20, and for Seniors, it charges $22.
Ford caught the last breath of Thomas Edison
Want to explore one of the weirdest facts about Ford? Let me explain.
Ford always had a great admiration for Edison!!
When Edison was dying, Ford asked Edsonâs son to be at his fatherâs bedside.
He even put a glass test tube near Edisonâs mouth to capture his last breathđ! Isnât it quite weird??
Clara Bryant: Meet Henry Fordâs wife
After leaving his family farm, Henry Ford married Clara Jane Bryant đ°ââď¸on April 11, 1888.
Their marriage produced Edsel Ford, Fordâs only child. Eventually, Edsel succeeded Henry and Fordâs owner.
Later the company was owned by Henryâs grandson Henry Ford II.
Henry Ford and his death: He retired two years before he died
Ford retired in 1945 after suffering a stroke.
Around two years after his retirement, Ford passed away due to a cerebral hemorrhage on April 7th, 1947. He died at the age of 83â°ď¸.
Smoking: Henry Ford advocated against it
Ford was so against smoking that he even published a book with all the health issues and concerns that one may develop if one smokes regularly.
Thus, we can say that Henry Ford was a man of action!
Summing up
How was this fact finding journey about Henry Ford đ?
Was it a smooth drive just like the person in concern??
We will take you to another journey really soonâŚ..keep in touch with usđ˛!!
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